During the cold and flu season or any illness outbreak, the attention is turned to the immune system. A stronger immune system helps you to fight off viruses and bacteria that can make you sick. Boosting your immune system enables your body to fight off foreign invaders more effectively.
There are many products, vitamins and supplements on the market that are advertised as having immune boosting benefits. In addition, we are advised to get more rest, eat a healthy diet and exercise to prevent illness by enhancing the immune system. A regular yoga practice is a natural method of boosting immunity.
Yoga offers a wide variety of physical, emotional and spiritual benefits. Among the many benefits of yoga is immune system support. Certain poses are considered to be beneficial for immunity. In general, poses and sequences that improve circulation of oxygen and lymph help to enhance immunity. Some asanas that help increase the flow of lymph include standing forward bend, downward facing dog and flowing sequences that use these poses.
There are several types of yoga poses that help support the immune system. Relaxation poses help with stress relief and relax the nervous system to help strengthen the immune system. Relaxation poses, along with pranayama breathing, relax the mind and body. For this reason, take the time to relax in corpse pose at the end of your practice and don’t rush through or skip this important part of your practice.
Deep breathing in yoga expands the lungs, brings oxygenated blood to the body and stimulates the immune system. Particularly beneficial are chest opening yoga poses performed with the breath, such as bridge pose, cobra and pigeon pose because they expand the chest and bring oxygen to the lungs.
Yoga helps to relieve stress and calm the body and mind. Stress inhibits the immune system and chronic stress can leave you more susceptible to illness. The stress relief benefits of yoga allow the immune system to function more efficiently.
Including meditation with your yoga practice provides further immune strengthening benefits. The deep breathing helps to increase circulation, which improves immune function.